Relative to other, more traditionally popular breeds, the Newfoundland dog community is a smaller and more intimate one. This seems to maintain a high level of passion and for that we are fortunate. So, it is quite understandable that many want to leap into action when they see an advertisement or post of a Newf in need of a home. One person sees an ad or post, shares it either once or in every related group and their own wall, others jump to spread the word far and wide...and its essentially gone viral. Great, right? Sadly, publicly spreading the word of a dog with no safety net in place can be and very often is the worst thing that can be done for his safety. Those of us formally involved in Newf rescue (volunteers within a legitimate 501(c)(3) rescue organization) are dismally aware of the many and frequent problems shouting from the rooftops creates. For the sake of these dogs, this post is an effort to explain to the well-intentioned but uninitiated WHY broadcasting such dogs does more harm than good. **There are professional dog buyers who watch for available dogs, pretend to be a desirable potential home and then sell the dogs purely for profit. They may sell the dog as a pet, as breeding stock or to a laboratory. Not as many laboratories will buy dogs in this manner as used to, but the larger and more tolerant the dog (read: Newf), the more money they bring. (Nearly 20 years ago the going rate for a Newf sold to a lab was $700-800) **Dog fighting is big business. People involved are always on the lookout for bait dogs. Disposable dogs used in training their fighting dogs. Once again, the bigger the dog, the more abuse it can take. **Those breeding for money can be watching, interested in cheap and easy breeding stock. Intact dogs are at very high risk of being acquired to live a life as a breeding machine/money maker. **No matter how well-intentioned, an individual inexperienced in screening homes and placing dogs greatly increases the odds that that home will also not be the dogs last and forever home. Further, our breed has literally MODEL breed rescue programs. I know the SBCA is one who asked to model NCA Rescue. Rather than creating a frenzy and getting in the middle with various people...creating a hopeless tangled mess of contacts and interested parties...every one of us can help many more dogs as simply and quickly as *discreetly* forwarding a post we see to the appropriate breed rescue contact for whichever region the dog is in. One push of a button and youve helped! It is desire to help the dog, not ego...isnt it??? Why discreetly? Because time and time again, posting has generated literally hundreds of calls to the party in possession of the dog at risk. Shelters do not have the staff (volunteers!) to handle that volume of calls, most not even coming from their adoptable area. Ticking off shelters is not in our best interest! Owners wanting to rehome their dog are also unprepared for hundreds of calls. Those calls range from kindly advice, to being read the riot act and denigrated, to the rest who may be genuinely interested or unscrupulous folks with bad intentions just posing as a wonderful home. The sheer volume of calls often angers the owner so much that they will no longer surrender the dog to Rescue at all. When an owner/seller receives hundreds of calls it also proves interest. INTEREST DRIVES PRICES UP. Many owners have come to agree that Rescue is best for the protection of their dog and/or the least hassle (many cases want the dog gone yesterday if not sooner)...until this barrage of calls. Now they stand to make a significant amount of money if they do not commit to Rescue. These dogs also have now lost their guarantee of safety. I sincerely hope this helps folks understand what actually happens behind the scenes when we think exposure is the best chance of helping a dog. It IS great when the dog is safely under the protection of a good rescue program, but when they are not, many dogs are lost, many great volunteers are burned out or have countless hours, days or weeks invested with nothing but sorrow to show for it and...did I say many dogs are lost? There is a pinned post at the top of many Newf FB groups, and a number of other groups, with direct links and instructions on how to most efficiently get the info of an at risk dog to the appropriate contacts to help that dog. If youre still unsure, please consider sending a pm to an admin or, if you post you might simply ask who is the Newf Rescue contact for xxx area? and not be showing details on any dog.“ by Kristin Sharp ----------------------------------------------- If you have or know of a PUREBRED Newfoundland dog that needs to be rescued, please DO NOT POST ON YOUR TIMELINE OR IN FACEBOOK GROUPS. Instead please email NewfNeedsRescued@NewfRescue or go to newfrescue/ (for the US). In Canada: newfrescue.ca/ lists the contacts across the country In the UK: thenewfoundlandclub.co.uk/welfare.htm Marion & Chris Wilks, National Coordinators, Tel: 01886 833711 - Southern Newfoundland club: 01353665280 - Northern Newfoundland club: 07766797257 In Ireland: The Working Newfoundlands of Ireland - [email protected] In Germany: Neufundländer in Not e.V. neufundlaender-in-not-ev.de/ https://facebook/pages/Neufundländer-in-Not-eV/122402641259951 The Netherlands: nnfc.nl/ Denmark: newfclub.dk/forside.aspx Norway: newf.no/php2009/ Sweden: snk.info/ Russia: piternewf.ru/ New Zealand: thenewfoundlandclubnz/contacts.html
Posted on: Thu, 05 Jun 2014 17:24:27 +0000
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